Regular physical activity is essential for overall health and longevity, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Investing as few as 30 minutes a day to exercise can help a woman maintain her weight, and improve her energy level…
Read more
There are no exercises that target the fat on your back or around your midsection. However, there are many exercises that can effectively reduce your general body fat, which also will reduce your back fat and love handles. Aerobic exercise…
Read more
When you do not have access to a gym, you miss out on dumbbells, barbells, weight machines and cardio equipment. The good news is you do not need anything fancy to work your stomach muscles and lose belly fat. As…
Read more
A treadmill may just be the most widely used piece of cardiovascular equipment in existence. They are versatile and offer exercisers the option to walk or run at various inclines and speeds. The club-quality models are very expensive; however, you…
Read more
Stability ball workouts require your body to maintain balance, which cause your body to use your stabilizing muscles (deep abdominal and spine muscles) to prevent falls and being imbalanced. Since everyone has different goals, bodies and physical fitness, the best…
Read more
The muscles of your stomach and hips are important for balance, stabilization, posture and most movement involving your legs. Although the stomach and hips may be counted as two muscle groups, they include several muscles. The abs alone consist of…
Read more
If you’re bored with your everyday indoor workout routine or can’t afford a gym membership, playground jungle gyms offer interesting, no-cost workout options. Aim for 12 repetitions of each strength training exercise as recommended by the Mayo Clinic, following each…
Read more
Overview The strong and shapely butt is a coveted physical asset. Great glutes look gorgeous and perform well in various athletic pursuits. Fitness equipment manufacturers, aware of the public’s butt fixation, offer a vast selection of efficient, as well as…
Read more
If you find yourself getting bored with your normal fitness routine, or working hard but not seeing continued fitness improvements, then it’s time for your to shake things up. One way to add some challenge to your ab and core…
Read more
Overview Resistance training exercises provide both muscle shortening and muscle lengthening actions. In weight training the eccentric, or muscle shortening, action provides the limit for the exercise, leaving the concentric, or muscle lengthening, action with minimal training. Manual resistance training…
Read more
Overview Women over 40 lose strength and bone calcium stores each year as their bodies age. Weight training can reverse these and many other effects of middle age, including extra pounds, higher blood pressure and metabolic slowdown. Busy women can…
Read more
Cardiovascular exercise, continuous movement that pushes your heart rate within 50 to 75 percent of your maximum heart rate, is a proven method for losing or maintaining weight, promoting a strong heart and warding off chronic diseases, such as high…
Read more
Exercising in the comfort and convenience of your home is one alternative to owning a gym membership. Home gyms are popular because workout equipment is becoming easier to set up for in-home use. Setting up a home gym requires the…
Read more
When doing breast exercises, the goal is to work the chest muscles that are underneath the breasts. This is because breast tissue itself is mostly fat. By working the muscles, you cannot actually make the breasts bigger, but you can…
Read more
In their textbook “Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition and Human Performance” Dr. William D. McArdle and Professors Frank I. Katch and Victor L. Katch describe belly fat as excess adipose tissue which builds along the three muscle groups of the abdomen:…
Read more
As the years go on, technology advancements make lives much easier and far less active than they once were. It is no wonder that “USA Today” reports government statistics that show that, as of 2010, about 32 percent of children…
Read more
Resistance bands are made of strong, durable rubber and come in a variety of shapes, sizes and resistance levels. They are portable, versatile and easy to use at home or while traveling, and there are countless exercises that can be…
Read more
Overview Nearly every style of dance can be a form of exercise. Some styles of dance are solely for exercise, like Zumba and fusion dances. Others styles, like ballet, jazz and hip-hop, were created as art styles but also provide…
Read more
Kettlebells, or girya, are heavy weights consisting of a cast iron ball with a single handle for gripping. Historically, they were used by the Russian military for strength training, and kettlebell lifting for sport emerged in the 1870s. The weight…
Read more
Overview If you are interested in buying an elliptical exercise machine, you’ll want to compare all the features that may make one or two the best buy for you. In addition to the mechanical features, you’ll want to know how…
Read more
Muscle tissue burns more calories than any other tissue in the body. The more calories you burn, the more fat you lose. Exercising to burn fat should include muscle-building routines to enhance caloric expenditure. The goal of any workout, especially…
Read more
Adding strength to your legs will make you a more efficient and powerful runner. This increased strength will also help with endurance, as those long miles start to wear at the shock absorbers we call leg muscles. Strength training will…
Read more
Breast tissues can become weakened over time, causing them to lose their firmness and take on a saggy appearance. Aging and weight loss are two of the most common reasons for this change, and it can be quite disheartening for…
Read more
Winsor Pilates® is an program developed by expert Mari Winsor based upon the exercises and philosophies of trainer Joseph Pilates; who focused on slow, steady movements and breathing rather than extensive repetitions done in quick succession. The best part about…
Read more
Stress at work can lead to a number of musculoskeletal disorders, including eye strain, carpal tunnel syndrome and back pain, Shira Taylor Gura writes in “Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment and Rehabilitation.” Practicing yoga is one method that helps…
Read more
Your pectoral and abdominal muscles comprise some of the most prominent muscles on the anterior, or front, side of your torso. Your pectoral muscles include the pectoralis major and minor. The pectoralis major functions to raise your arms forward, rotate…
Read more
A lean washboard stomach is popular today, but strong abdominal muscles do much more than give you that attractive, healthy appearance that gets you noticed by the opposite sex. Tight abdominal muscles help stabilize your internal organs, provide a strong…
Read more
A stability ball is a fitness tool that is inflated with air and used to work multiple muscle groups in the body. Using the ball makes you constantly off balance, which leads to maximal muscle recruitment with your focus on…
Read more
The human body has numerous muscle complexes. Among them are the thigh, calf, chest, upper-arm and shoulder. The shoulder in particular is made up of small and moderately sized muscles. Because there are many muscles in the shoulder complex, compound…
Read more
1. Hard to Reach Places The inner thigh is one of the hardest areas to spot-reduce. There are certain activities, such as running, walking and aerobic dance routines, that can tone the inner thigh, but sometimes it is tough to…
Read more